Post by Anushka Aalto on Oct 11, 2017 14:17:10 GMT -5
Jimmy Fallon:
“My first guest tonight is a recent signing to the reborn Pride Pro Wrestling company. She’s an Israeli wrestling legend and she could probably kick my.”
Fallon laughed with the studio audience before finishing his last sentence.
Jimmy Fallon:
“Everyone she is Anushka Aalto.”
Anushka Aalto walked out onto the stage to applause from the studio audience. She hugged Jimmy before the host lead her to her seat on the stage with him sitting behind his desk.
Jimmy Fallon:
“Wow, you’re a lot taller than I imagined. You have to be what, six foot something?”
Anushka Aalto:
“Only with the shoes I’m wearing. I’m actually five foot ten, but with the shoes, I’m over six feet tall. Does that intimidate you?”
Jimmy looked straight at the camera with a surprised expression as Anushka smirked, biting the tip of her pinky nail.
Jimmy Fallon:
“I would say the moment I heard ‘wrestling champion’ I was intimidated. A woman being taller than me is just the cherry on top.”
The audience laughed for a few moments before Jimmy continued.
Jimmy Fallon:
“Okay, so you were one of the most hyped signings a professional wrestling company has made all year. Your boss, Jason Halich was quoted as saying he ‘had to have you’ in his company. What makes you a must have? Tell us your story because I’m not sure everyone here picked up the Israeli wrestling channel with their cable subscription.”
Anushka laughed at Fallon’s joke.
Anushka Aalto:
“Well, I started training to wrestle when I was fifteen years old, I had my professional debut when I was sixteen. Things are a lot different in Israel. I was basically this little girl, wrestling these grown men and I got my butt kicked for awhile. I still have a scar on my back from when I got slammed through a table in my rookie year.”
Jimmy Fallon:
“Wait, so you guys were having your equivalent of Thanksgiving dinner or something and some big guy with a beard confused you with a turkey leg and picked you up, realized you were a human and slammed you through a table?”
Anushka Aalto:
“That is a much better story than I could have came up with, but in reality I won a match, my opponent didn’t like it and he put me through a table afterwards. Let me tell you, picking splinters from your back and butt isn’t a fun time.”
The fans laughed as did Fallon.
Jimmy Fallon:
“Wow. So I hear you were a champion for like, four years straight. Please tell me that’s true.”
Anushka Aalto:
“It is. I was the top champion over there for a little over four consecutive years, and when I lost it, it was under how do you say? Shady circumstances. My opponent spit this mist stuff, it was green in my eyes and blinded me and at that point I mean, what can I do? That is the proudest moment of my career. The four year championship run. I took on every challenger possible, even people from different countries who made the trip to compete against me. That is where a lot of the ‘hype’ as you call it came from. A lot of promoters over here learned of who I was then, and I would say ever since then, from the time I was twenty five, until I was twenty nine, is when the recruiting really started.”
Jimmy Fallon:
“So with all of this recruiting, what took you two years to decide to come to the States? And what made you choose Pride Pro over the other places?”
Anushka Aalto:
“I was torn on leaving Israel. You have to remember, I was there from the age of ten, until now basically, so that was a tough decision to make in itself. Ultimately, I spoke to my family, and I wanted a new challenge in my career. And I chose Pride because Mr.Halich had this vision, and I liked his pitch better than anyone else’s. He not only knew who I was beyond my championship streak, he named off so many matches that I had even forgot about. He was a fan, and I trusted him, so it made it an easy decision to come over and sign with Pride.”
Jimmy Fallon:
“On Tuesday, October seventeenth, you wrestle Sammy Duke at the first episode of Ignition. So, Sammy Duke. Tell me about this guy.”
Anushka Aalto:
“He’s a little guy with a big heart.”
Jimmy looked directly into the camera and held back a laugh, prompting the audience and Anushka to laugh.
Jimmy Fallon:
“I’m sure that’s what everyone wants to hear about themselves. So how about your opponent? Oh he’s a little guy.”
Jimmy shook his head as the audience continued laughing.
Anushka Aalto:
“Well he is kind of little, I think he’s about five foot two or so, but he’s special. He’s going to be a star.”
Jimmy Fallon:
“So not only is he a little guy, but he’s special too?”
Jimmy put a finger to his cheek and shook his head as Anushka laughed and threw up a finger to explain.
Anushka Aalto:
“I mean special, like, he has a unique vibe to him. I expect big things from him. This is actually the best first match I could have, because it’s a chance to go against the very heart of the new Pride. I expect a challenge, and I know that win or lose, I’ll walk away from this match knowing that my future in Pride will be a bright one.”
Jimmy Fallon:
“Well that big match, Sammy Duke versus the very lovely Anushka Aalto will take place on October seventeenth and you guys can watch it, tweet about it, and let Anushka know what you think of her debut. Anushka Aalto everyone!”
Anushka Aalto:
“Thank you for having me!”
Anushka and Jimmy shook hands as she stood up and waved to the audience with the show moving to a commercial break.
